What is a brachycephalic breed?

Brachycephalic breeds are those with short noses and flat faces. This includes dogs such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers, English Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and Boxers. Cats, such as Persians and British Shorthairs, are also classed as a brachycephalic breed.

Brachycephalic breeds are pre-disposed to eye problems. Awareness of the common eye problems that may develop allows early recognition and prompt intervention, ensuring your pet’s eyes remain as healthy as possible.

The abnormally large and protruding eyes that brachycephalic breeds have means that their eyelids cannot close properly over their eyeballs. They blink less frequently, they have exposed corneas, poor tear quantity and abnormally shaped eyelids. All these pre-disposed issues cause dryness in their eyes, which often leads to eye ulcers.

Dry Eyes

An optimal tear film is vital for keeping eyes lubricated and healthy. Dry eye (also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS) occurs when there is an insufficient and/or poor quality tear film.

In the initial stages of the disease your pet may experience recurrent bouts of sore, itchy eyes with sticky grey-yellow or crusty discharge. Corneal ulcers and chronic corneal changes, such as pigmentation may develop later on and can impair vision if left untreated.

Brachycephalic dogs are 3.63x more likely to develop dry eye than any other breed.

Corneal Ulceration

Brachycephalic breeds have protruding eyes making them more exposed to the elements, which can lead to dryness, damage, and irritation. Corneal ulceration (where the surface of the eye is ‘wounded’) is a common resulting complaint in brachycephalic breeds. Symptoms of a corneal ulcer include irritation, blinking/winking, redness, cloudy and/or watery eye.

Corneal ulcers are very painful and can rapidly deepen (known as ‘melting’), which can cause permanent blindness. Brachycephalic breeds posses an increased risk of corneal melting, so it needs to be treated with even more care and attention.

Tear Overflow and Staining

Due to the flat-face and abnormal eyelid anatomy seen in many brachycephalic breeds, tears may not drain effectively, and therefore, may overflow onto the face. Tears contain porphyrin pigments that turn brown on the coat, resulting in unsightly ‘tear staining’

The good news is that lots can be done to help improve eye health!

Regular Vet Examinations

It is recommended to perform an ocular screening examination at least every 12 months in at risk breeds (such as brachycephalic pets), and this can be done at your pet’s annual booster vaccinations. Screening examinations will help to identify any anatomical problems that may require surgical intervention. The Vet will test for tear film production and look for any active problems (e.g., ulceration, infection, and inflammation).

You can help your pet at home by keeping their eyes clean. Any debris or discharge that builds up around your pet’s eyes (or in the skin folds) can be removed and wiped away with a warm clean cloth, or with medication from your Vet. Ensure you use a cleaner that is safe to use. Performing this as part of your pet’s daily hygiene routine provides you with an opportunity to promptly identify any changes or problems with your pet’s eyes. You can alert your Vet and seek treatment early on if you are concerned.

If you are concerned or worried, please call us today on 01665 252 250 to book an appointment with one of our Vets.

If you would like more information, please visit www.tvm-uk/bos